[Kelly Dwyer] The Rockets are a rusty bunch of geezers

I don't think we're so much a "rusty" team as much as we're an "emotional" team. Yao's confidence gets shaken as soon as he picks up the 2nd foul in the first quarter, Tmac stubbornly takes difficult jump shots until one of the heat checks finally clanks in, and i don't think i even owe an explanation on how our tru warior's emotional. When they hit some big shots, they get hyped and unstoppable, when they come out of a timeout they're flat, when they're missing, they keep missing (uh hum free throws vs. Pistons last season). The one guy that keeps this squad's head on straight is BATTIER. Something about that guy being on the floor keeps things together. Conclusion: We'll be alright, give it time, pray for health, and these things will come together, even if not quite as soon as we'd all hope. Go Rox!

 

Yea, I remember. And it's true.

Whether you think it matters or not is a different story.

Our starting 5 is the slowest in the league. We also have one of the smallest frontcourts. That is a bad mix. If you're small, you better be fast top to bottom. If you're slow, you better have plenty of length, especially in the frontcourt.

 

Because we've been seeing the same kind of mistakes/boneheaded plays for the last 5 years. It goes deeper than just this season.

 

Yao and Tracy are both playing like old geezers, especially Yao.

 

Anybody who can't see that is blind. McGrady's offense has been solid, but that's because he is super talented. On defense, he looks awful.

Yao is getting owned on both ends of the court far too often for whatever reason.

It's OK to criticize your own team as a fan, especially when the accusations are true.

I think Dwyer was spot on about the fact that we look old and rusty, i.e., slow and unathletic.

 

That pretty much sums it up. I can't believe people are crying about the clock. Tmac blew an assignment, maybe that would've mattered, maybe not. The game was lost because the Rox were outplayed in every facet of the game. Somehow the Rockets kept it close, but still had no business winning. As others have said, if it were a better team we'd have lost by 20.

 

Agreed. I like the energy from a lot of our guys, but it starts with Yao and TMac, who regrettably play much older than their respective ages.

 

What really made it disgusting is that Portland is a young team that doesn't have a lot of experience, and their record is 1 and 3. Whoops, 2 and 3 now.

Even if that last shot had missed I would still be pissed because of the broken defensive assignment. That's what drives me crazy about the n00bs here. Do they realize how incredibly lazy it is to argue that if the shot had missed there wouldn't be a problem? That last, final mistake is just the symptom of a deeper problem--the Rockets only play defense when they feel like it, and they only feel like it for one and a half quarters out of four.

 

The Rockets like using Rafer, ideally, on a player like Fernandez. Morey said a few weeks back that Rafer is our best defender for Kevin Martin, and Fernandez is a similar player.

 

We should change our slogan to "LAYUP DRILLS" cause that's what it seems like

 

I agree with the article. Props to the writer for not being a big time homer or complainer like most members on this board.

 

It's somewhat true.. there's no spice in their steps!

 

Click the link for Dwyer

Solid honest article.

 

KD's right about this one, and I think the problem is that it's the leader who sets the tone for the rest of the team -- and at this point, T-Mac is still unquestionably the leader of the team, being the oldest of our big 3 and the one who has gotten the greatest accolades as a player. You can argue about who our most important player is, but the guys on the team know that it's McGrady's team.

The problem with that is that the tone McGrady sets MOST of the time is one of lingering injuries and old, tired bones. He drags his decaying body out there in a way that says, "Man, I sure wish I could sit this one out." Don't get me wrong -- T-Mac plays as hard as anyone for stretches of time, and when he does, his teammates usually pick things up as well. But his attitude at the beginning of games goes a long way toward setting a tone for everyone else on his team. Larry Bird had constant aches and pains, too, but every time he stepped on the court, you knew he meant business.

T-Mac is constantly criticized for not being a leader, or not being enough of a leader, and rightly so. He seems to think it's only about putting your teammates on your back and carrying them when the team is struggling, but it's about WAY more than that. Being a leader also involves setting a team personality by conducting yourself in a way that forces everyone to elevate their own games. Bird, Magic, Jordan -- even the current Celtics, who have built their team to KG's personality of 100% effort at all times. Pierce and Allen never had that mindset until last year.

This Rockets team can go a long way on sheer talent alone, but I fear McGrady's lack of real leadership skills could prevent us from taking the whole thing.
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Great post. I agree completely.

 

Players (except for a very few: Aron, TMac) sucked so far, and coach is short sighted too (he played too starters for too many minutes).

 

we would have won had we had battier, no way roy gets those shots off that easily, he woulda had a hand in his face both shots. no doubt about it.

 

It's great to be optimistic and all, but I agree with the article. The rockets need to do more to win.

As far as people complaining all the time, what's wrong with that? It just shows you how passionate and hungry us Rockets fans are compared to other fans. We have more passion and drive to see our team win it all that other fans.

 

Slow and rusty - just how I like my women.

 

I agree with him. The Rockets look rusty and lazy. Shane Battier is an excellent defender, but two good defenders doesn't pick up the slack for the rest of the team.